The development of the present invention, entitled “Rubber shield plate for mine truck or train freight car”, arises from observing production decreases and time losses in assembling and disassembling hoppers and cars for repairs and maintenance.
The present invention intends to solve the aforementioned problems, providing a strong, easy-to-install protection element, without the need of specialized personnel to replace it. It is easy to assemble, because it comprises a double-layer hard rubber plate, wherein one layer absorbs shock energy exerted by the load, and the second one holds traction efforts and keeps the plate in its original position. In addition, the interior of the layer has thread layers and a steel cable mesh along the entire length thereof, as may be seen in FIG. 6.
One of the applications of the shield plate is that of protecting the hopper on mine trucks, the manner and lay out of each one of the components may be seen in FIG. 6. The plate's front area will have a overhanging (larger width) that gets trapped by the bolted rubber fasteners to increase the traction of it when unloading the material; all of the rubber plate's and its fixtures must be in accordance with the dimensions of the hopper, which must be bolted thereto with rubber pieces having an embedded metallic angle that receives the fasteners that cross the floor to tightly bolt and apply torque on these parts, parts that are strong and that fix the perimeter of the plate to the floor, preventing the material transported to get inserted through the sides between the plate and the hopper or train car, as well as in the front part where strength is increased to resist the traction of the load, in addition to considering the hopper's central area. In case of fractures on the plate's surface, a repair kit used to circularly cut the area where the fractures starts, the area being then carefully cleaned, and a slightly higher and tapered insert is subsequently pressure placed, after a layer of adhesive c compatible with the plate material has been applied.
One other application for the rubber shield plate is for mine train cars, which uses the same structure as on mine hopper trucks, that is, considering the double hardness, the plies and the steel meshing, the dimensions being modified in accordance with those of the train cars, not only considering the floor area of the car, but also the inner walls thereof, wherein the same fastening and repair kit are considered.